ANGLING LINES: Bradford No1 AA's Mick Clayton wins Cowthorpe test

We have seen little news from anglers over the last couple of weeks, with only occasional reports of chub showing in nets on the Swale and one or two difficult-to-come-by fish from Oakworth lakes.

In the general lull from fishing, however, maintenance work has continued on club fisheries.

A replacement gate is now installed to access our fishing downstream of Inghey Bridge.

This carries a padlock which can be opened by the usual BCAA key.

Anglers accessing the other Bradford club’s fishery downstream from ours should now use the appropriate field gate.

A great turn-out and fantastic weather for a working party planted 350 saplings, next to our fisheries at Carleton and Broughton on the Aire.

The native mix of hawthorn, dogwood, hazel, goat and grey willow, wild and bird cherry, plus a few hornbeam, should provide a mix of flowers for pollinators, berries for birds, leaf-litter for the river-flies, bank resilience and in the long term maybe some shade.

Weeding out grass from tubes protecting previous years’ plantings shows more than 80 per cent of saplings still doing well.

Some have already reached a height of 1.4m, even after last year’s dry summer.

Elsewhere, we have signed agreement with a local landowner to extend our fishing on the Aire by 600 yards from March 1.

Plans for the length include fencing to protect riparian vegetation and help prevent erosion and diffuse pollution, with provision of watering facilities for excluded livestock.

Sales of 2019 memberships continue via the club’s online shop, accessible from a link at bradfordcityaa.co.uk.

Sales at our new agent Yorkshire Angling at Harrogate are also proving popular.

Renewal memberships are £42 and £27, including two rods, and juniors can join the club free of charge (plus postage) via the online shop.

There is a joining fee for new members of £15, which will also be charged to adult 2018 members renewing membership after March 31.

This week the Environment Agency has published a Consultation asking for views on whether to abolish or change the dates of the existing river coarse fishing close season.

No fishing has been allowed between March 14 and June 16 for many years but pressures from anglers and changing climate are starting to prompt a rethink.

The issue has strong support from both sides of the debate and so it will be interesting to see what results from the Consultation.

BCAA has no matches in the foreseeable future, or until we can find a replacement match secretary.

BRADFORD NO 1 AA

A good turnout fished Sunday's open match on the River Nidd at Cowthorpe, with Mick Clayton coming out on top in windy conditions.

Fishing with a maggot feeder, Clayton caught three barbel for 15lbs 12oz, putting him ahead of Ian Bradley, who caught five chub for 13lbs.

The last trophy match of the year for the Henry Barran Trophy, fished on the River Ouse, was won by D White, who drew the noted perch peg and made no mistake, catching around 50 for a weight of 31lb9oz; 2 C Turbitt 18lb11oz, two bream and 10lb of perch; 3 A Miller 13lb; 4 D Miles 12lb10oz.

The result of the Sunday match at Moormonkton Pools was a win for L Smith with 46lb2oz; 2 A Hornsby 36lb20z.

The match at the same venue, held midweek, was won by D Wright with 51lb, second weight was 49lb12oz.

Pike anglers have been out in numbers on the River Ouse.

E Harrison had a catch of five on one visit and two on another, with the best fish going 18lb4oz. Lure anglers have been concentrating on the Aire and Calder Navigation, taking several perch up to 3lb.

LISTERHILLS AA

Membership books are now available from all of the usual outlets and no one should be fishing club waters who is not in possession of either a book or, in the case of the canal, a day ticket.

The various stretches of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal have provided mixed results.

Some anglers have had good catches of silvers fish, while others have failed to get a single fish. At this time of year, location is of vital importance. Anglers who have been roving and fishing lures have had catches of moderate-sized perch also odd pike.

Anglers have been on the various club lengths of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, some have reported catches of small silver fish, while others have not caught anything, dropshotting has produced multiple catches of perch plus odd pike.

SALTAIRE AA

Last week's canal open proved difficult with strong winds but making the most of peg 21 was Adam Jagger, Matrix Waynes Tackle, 10lb 1oz.

Jagger caught all roach on caster fished up to the boat at 12 metres; 2 John Harman, Tricast Calder, 7lb 15oz, peg 23, roach and perch on caster and worm fished at 11mtrs both across and towards the bridge; 3 Tony Price, Matrix Waynes Tackle, 7lb 7oz, peg 22, all roach caught on caster on a top kit plus two due a broken section; 4 Richard East, Matrix Halifax, 5lb 7oz, peg 19, 105 roach and perch caught on punch or worm.

There will be a match every Sunday on the canal until the end of February.

There is a river match this Sunday using the middle length. To book, call Carl Chadwick on 07955 72707.

A reasonable number of members were present last week for the 112th annual general meeting of the Skipton Angling Association, which was held in the Skipton Working Men's Club under the chairmanship of Simon Chenier.

In his annual report, the secretary, Graeme Waterfall, said the association had enjoyed another good year with all waters fishing well although the River Aire suffered during the summer months due to the prolonged dry spell.

When fishing resumed, members were delighted to find the chub population had continued to expand with fish up to 2,250g being caught.

Whinnygill Reservoir benefitted from restocking and the hot weather and some good bags of bream, roach, perch, ide, tench and carp were recorded.

A near record brown trout of just over 3kg was also caught. Only match anglers seemed to miss out on the sport when lower than normal weights were regular during the evening sunset series.

At Embsay Reservoir, members began to reap the benefits of the habitat management programme, where the planting of numerous trees and the erection of a strong fence has managed to separate the dog walkers from the anglers along a good stretch of banking.

Other work included cleaning out the feeder streams to help brown trout spawning during the winter months.

Sport was good with catches of brown, rainbow and tiger trout including a tiger weighing 1,730g.

Sport on the association’s length of the canal was reasonable for most of the year and there was the bonus of less boat traffic due to the closure of the canal at Gargrave due to the shortage of feeder water.

On the financial side, the association had made a healthy profit even though there had been a reduction in mainly junior members.

Increased day ticket sales had almost made up for the subscription reduction such that there will be no increase in subscription rates this year.

Treasurer Pete Smith handed over the reins to Dan Tipling after three years at the helm, during which time he had successfully guided the club through the twists and turns of Paypal financial management.

Richard Tordoff took over as events and restocking manager, while Graeme Waterfall took on a much-reduced interim secretary’s position, while a replacement general secretary is found. Further details will be given next week.

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